L'Ayalga Pousada Ecologica, Spain

There aren't many places in western Europe where it's possible to holiday near a mountain range and also be within reach of a warm sandy beach. In the north of Spain, you can have the best of both worlds, and it's also one of the least visited parts of the country...

L'Ayalga is in La Pandiella, a small hamlet in the Redes nature reserve in Asturias, conveniently located between the craggy limestone mountains of the Picos de Europa and the uncrowded beaches near Llanes on the rural north coast. The owners will pick you up from the railway station at Infiesto on the scenic coastal line from Santander via the portal town of Ribadesella.

L'Ayalga is an old farmhouse, restored using lime, and the wood is treated with natural oils. Heating for the farmhouse is supplied by solar panels and the rooms are insulated with hemp. Practise t'ai chi and chi kung, and treat yourself to a massage after a day at the beach, canoeing down the River Sella or walking in the mountains.

· From €45 B&B, plus 7% local tax and 1% levy donated to local ecology and human rights organisations. terrae.net/layalga, 0034 616 897 638. A day return from Infiesto to Llanes costs €7 (feve.es, 0034 985 297 656).

This article, by Richard Hammond, was first published in the Guardian.